Life on a plate!

Lazy sundays by the beach, Cafe Froot

2010-08-16T13:58:00.000+09:30

Lazy sundays are the best! I'm glad we were able to have a quiet day that started off with a bit of a sleep in - well for me at least.

After Mart came back from his basketball game we decided to head out for brunch, and thanks to my good friend Janice I was armed with a list of new places to try. We decided to head out to Semaphore and explore the cafes that line Semaphore Road. We usually go straight to the Esplanade and completely miss out on these places so it was great to have a bit of a guide - first stop is Cafe Foot!

The name of this cafe says a lot about the decor of the place. Vibrant citrus coloured walls and hand painted furniture greet guests. The place is a bit on the small size but as we were quite late for brekkie we we able to spot a table as people were leaving. Reviews say that the cafe's signature dish is the Green Eggs and Ham - so this is what we ordered and a couple of large flat whites to go along side. Mains go on average for $15.00 but they also do serve sandwiches for around $7-8.

It took a bit of time for our orders to come out, as we waited we spot the dessert display and it was quite impressive - we carefully plan out what to have at the end of our meal - and a huge chocolate cake catches our eye. But, our food comes and we see the portions are huge! Clearly I will not make it to dessert this trip.

Green Eggs and Ham - is a large portion of scrambled eggs topped over slices of wood fire oven baked bread, the green is spinach and the ham a slice of crispy prosciutto. Everything on my plate was cooked very well - the eggs were fluffy, bread well buttered and crisp and our coffees also very good. I had way too much though in my plate and suggested to Mart that for the next visit we split one serving and just get extra serves of ham.

After our main meal, we needed a little something sweet for a finish. Cake was definitely out of the question at this point - so we order fresh fruit juices. I'm so glad we did! They tasted fantastic - Mart had the orange and I had the apple and they hit the spot perfectly. In fact the green apple juice was so good, we think that's one of the things that we'll be craving. The tartness of the apples remind us of the green mango shakes we have back in the Philippines.

Looking forward to making at trip back to Semaphore for more exploring!

'til the next post!

Sharlyn

cafe interiors

fruity hand painted designs on the tables

large flat white

signature dish: Green Eggs & Ham

fresh apple and orange juice

Days off and cheesecake - Udder Delights

2010-08-09T17:24:00.001+09:30

Getting unexpected days off are the best! You have a whole day with no agenda, no obligations and your whim can take you anywhere.

This is what happened a few days ago, when Mart had to do an unexpected night shift which resulted in a day off after and we found ourselves with a free day - so we hit the road and headed out to Hahndorf!

We decided to take a late long lunch at Hahndorf Inn and explore shops we haven't been in during our previous visits. A good friend of ours, Jiji, mentioned a while back that cheese tasting at Udder Delights was a must do in the area so we decided to go and check it out.

Udder delights is located also on Hahndorf's main street, they have a 2 story building with seating in the ground floor and lower cellar. When we got there I drifted towards the cheese display and Mart found a display of pastries and cakes on the other side of the room - more his cup of tea. We decided to have some coffee and try the mixed berry cheesecake that caught his eye. I must say - this is the best cheesecake I've had in adelaide, and rightly so - since we were at a cheese shop! This little cake is creamy and dense, comparable to the cheesecakes I've had in New York city delis. We loved it so much, we had to take some home with us!

After dessert and coffee, we headed over to the counter for free cheese tasting which presented us a selection of goat's cheese ranging from soft cheeses to the blue. Goat camembert and brie in hand - we make our way back to the city planning the next trip back for more.

mixed berry cheesecake

contact information taken from Udder Delights website:

CONTACT US

Udder Delights calls the Adelaide Hills home. We're so fortunate to live and work in such a beautiful part of the world. The Adelaide Hills are incredibly close to the city, in fact a 10 minute drive from the city CBD will take you to the freeway. A further 10 minute drive up the freeway and you are at the Hahndorf turn off. Follow the direct signs to Hahndorf, just a few minutes up the road and you are at the Udder Delights Cheese Cellar. Could it be any easier?

Open: 7 days a week. 9am to 5:00pm

Closed: Good Friday, Christmas Day & Boxing Day

Address: 91a Main Rd

Hahndorf, SA, 5245

AUSTRALIA

Phone: +61 8 8388 1588

Fax: +61 8 8388 1599

Email: sheree@udderdelights.com.au

Web: www.udderdelights.com.au

The Udder Delights Cheese Factory is not open to the general public. The Cheese Factory is in Lobethal at the Old Woollen Mills complex.

Date Nights & the Cork Wine Cafe

2010-07-16T16:15:00.001+09:30

I haven't been diligent in posting lately, mostly because I've been having problems signing on to my own blog! If the people of blogspot read this - please please help.

But - to make up for being away, I have a great new find! I left for a long weekend in Sydney a few weeks back to visit with my cousin, who was getting married and to see friends who are practically family to me. Unfortunately Mart couldn't come because of work and even if my trip was just about 4 days it was great to have him pick me up from the airport and went straight to a date night.

The restaurant we wanted to try was full on Gouger (Gaucho's - the smells from this place are amazing and we will definitely find our way back WITH reservations!) so we walked the street and made our way to Hog's Breath - yes, I know - not much for a date night but I had a surprisingly good lamb shank that night.

Anyway, as we were walking down Gouger after dinner, contemplating dessert, we found CORK! A small little wine cafe with the most charming interior. The place reminded me so much of a little bistro/ wine cellar Mart and I used to go to when we were still in Manila. So we traded dessert for a night cap and got a table inside. The bar is the main feature of the interior but there a number of cozy nooks that also caught my attention. The cafe serves tapas and a light menu - we were too stuffed to try it, but we'll definitely be back to sample the food.

The staff are nice and accommodating, they seem to know their wines pretty well and will take the time to answer questions and give suggestions to you. Interestingly they have tasting flights per wine category which allows you a tasting portions of three wines of the category of your choosing. Great for those who want a sample first before settling with a glass or bottle. Mart decided on getting the tasting flight of dessert wines, featuring selections from Italy, France and Australia. I on the other hand was just reading an article on my flight back to Adelaide about the Pinot Noir's from Otago, New Zealand and was delighted to find one in the menu and went for that.

Such a great place, I wonder why I never noticed it before. Most probably because when we go to Gouger Street we're all set for Yum Cha or Peking Duck.

For those who enjoy a quiet evening, come and end your busy day at Cork. I honestly had to think twice about telling people about it - it was too tempting to keep it to myself. We will definitely be back.

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

cafe interior

menu board

tasting flight

window seating

CORK Wine Cafe
61A Gouger Street
Adelaide, SA 5000
T 08 8410 0645
M 0431 061 849
www.corkwinecafe.com
Cork Wine Cafe also has a facebook page

Tues-Thurs
4:00 p.m to 12 mn

Friday
12nn to 1am

Sat
7:45 am to 1am

Sun
4pm - 12mn

Mother's Day and French Macarons

2010-06-22T16:51:00.000+09:30

I have been having major problems with updating my blog - please excuse my entry being so late. But here's one you cannot miss - especially those who need to have their desserts.

I've always enjoyed French Macarons, I have special special memories having them with my sister and my cousins in Paris. They are little almond meringue cookies with a soft creamy filling. With the very good ones, there also came the very bad ones - those that are too sweet and don't have that chewiness that you're after. I never did find them in the cafes here in Adelaide - until my friend Cate gave me a few to sample.

Enter Pastille Petite Desserts-these Macarons are good! Cate's friend Sigrid has a booth at the Rundle Street Sunday Market and she offered seasonal flavours(fruit in season), vanilla, salted caramel and chocolate. For my first order I got to try raspberry, passion fruit/chocolate, chocolate, vanilla and salted caramel. Fruit flavours were good, but we fell in love with the salted caramel flavour!

Knowing my mom would be in town for Mother's Day, I had to order these little desserts for her. Pastille Petite Desserts accepts orders with a 2 doz. minimum (single falvour per doz.) and with free delivery around the Adelaide CBD. Cost per piece is $1.50 at the Rundle Street Market (2nd & 4th Sundays only) and $36 for 2 doz. pcs.

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

Salted Caramel & Chocolate French Macarons

Pastille Petite Desserts

P. 0432 066 138
E. info@pastille.com.au

The Tomahawk! Just Cos

2010-06-12T14:12:00.000+09:30

If you've been following my blog, you would have come across a few restaurants we eat in quite often. One of them is a steak house in the city named, Cos!

One dish Mart and I could never eat just on our own was the Tomahawk! When my family was over for a visit and wanted the best Aussie steak dinner - we knew this was the place to take them. The Tomahawk is a rib eye steak - char grilled to your desired wellness and is served with different potato sides and several dipping sauces. Size of the steaks start from around 1.2 kilos and can go up to around 3!

For our dinner, we settled with a 1.5 kilo steak for 6 people and my dad ordered his own 300g Scotch Fillet. This dish did not disappoint! We were very happy with the flavour and of course the meat was not dry. I would have been happy though if all the sides were just the truffle scented mash instead of all different kinds of potatoes. Some of which were left almost untouched in the table. The sauce selection ranged from mushroom cream sauce, to bearnaise sauce, to different kinds of mustards and a peppercorn sauce - great for large groups.

Check out the pictures we took with the rib eye bone!

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

Family picture with our little (well...not so little) feast!

Close up on the meat please!

Sides of pomme frittes, wedges, potato cubes, mash and mushrooms

Mich loving the truffled scented mash! Our favourite - smells divine!

Yes - that's the bone!

For real!

Contact information from www.justcos.com.au

Address
18 Leigh St Adelaide
S.A 5000

Phone: 8231 7611
Fax: 8231 7644

Email: cos@justcos.com.au

Opening Hours
Monday - Friday 12 pm to 3 pm (lunch)
Monday - Saturday 6 pm - late (dinner)

Justin's favourite meal - Hahndorf Inn Hotel

2010-06-05T10:09:00.001+09:30

During a quick breakfast in the airport, I asked all my family members what their favourite meal in Adelaide was, interestingly no two answers were the same. For my brother Justin, his answer was Hahndorf Inn hands down!

Tucked in the charming Main Street of Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills, the Hahndorf Hotel has a front bar, restaurant and al fresco area serving diners all day. Aside from the German beers on tap, they have an extensive wine selection. My first encounter with Hahndorf Inn was when I joined a tour of the area back in 2007 - the tour offered a tasting of 3 beers on tap and with that ofcourse we had to have the sausages on offer. Ever since then, it has been a favourite of ours and we find that it's the better option from the other hotels in the area.

After a nice drive from the city, we arrive at Hahndorf Inn and took a table in the restaurant area. Since it was the first visit of my family we decided to pick our meal from the Taste of Germany Menu and picked the Taste of Germany Platter and the Six Star Sausage Combination. The menu says these dishes serves 2 but the platters were enough for our party of 7. The German Platter had a selections of sausages with pork chop, pork knuckle, potatoes and sauerkraut. The Six Star Combination was a platter of Wursts and Kranskys served with pretzels. They bring a selections of mustards to the table to accompany the sausages. I have to say that the knuckle deserves special mention, the pork meat was very tender and juicy and very easy to tear from the bone. The platters are great for big groups because there's something to keep everyone happy.

For the next visit I'd like to try their steaks or ribs from the char grill menu!

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

Sandra & Mich in front of the Menu Board

Home baked garlic bread, $5.90

Taste of Germany Platter, $ 52.90

Six Star Sausage Combination, $ 42.90

Happiness!!!

Contact Information taken from http://www.hahndorfinn.com.au

35 Main Road

Hahndorf SA 5245, Australia

(08) 8388 7063

Road Trip to Victor Harbour & Nino's Cafe!

2010-06-03T09:03:00.004+09:30

While my family was here we took several trips out of the city to show them some sites. One of the trips we took was out to the Fleuirieu Peninsula to explore Victor Harbour and cross over to Granite Island.

Part of the attractions are the Whale Center, the Horse Drawn Tram and the penguins on the island. Part of my research for the trip, was not only sites and attractions but also good places to eat. And after my food search, I settled with Nino's Cafe. Located at the end of Main Street at Albert's place it was an easy wall from the parking areas and all the attractions we went there to see.

Pretty much an institution in the area, the cafe has been open for over 27 years and has recently been sold to new owners after the original owners retired. They offer quality italian food in a casual environment, this is what I wanted to bring our guests to. Somewhere where we can relax after quite a drive and be able to recharge as we explore the town.

Finding the place was a bit tricky, since all the restaurants are quite close to each other - but with the help of Mart's iphone we confirmed that we were going the right direction and found the cafe. We were seated in the ground floor and the lunch crowd was growing as we settled into our table. Nino's fare is typical of a pizzeria - offerings range from soups, salads, gourmet and traditional pizzas and their pasta selection. For their main's, Mart and Justin ordered their lasagna and I'm so glad they did.

From all our orders, I have to say the lasagna was the stand out favourite. The menu describes it to be Angela Solari's original recipe with layers of ham, cheese and pasta topped with a bolognese sauce. This is the ultimate comfort food. It's the best lasagna I've tried here in South Australia - it screams home cooked and is worth coming back for.

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

Calamari $18.50

Garlic Pizza, small $4.50 large $8

*we had 2 large orders and it was no trouble finishing it off! so good!

Spaghetti Bolognese $16.90

Home made beef lasagna $18

Nino's

Albert Place

Victor Harbour SA

Ph: 08 8552 3501

Breakfast at Nano Ready to Go

2010-05-26T11:23:00.001+09:30

Whenever we have company over, we try as much as possible to make them see the sites outside the city. Which means, getting the whole gang out bright and early and ready for a road trip - for mornings like these, we skip breakfast at home at take them over to Nano Ready to Go.

This is one of our favourite cafes, located in the east end of the city, it's set in the very charming area of Ebenezer Place. Nano has your usual breakfast offerings of eggs and sides, danish and croissants but we purposely come here for the breakfast door stops, nano stick and focaccias. The door stops are pizza like pieces of bread topped with eggs and pancetta or mushrooms...etc. Nano sticks and focaccias are panini style sandwiches filled with either deli meats, cheeses or veggies. We always get the salami or prosciutto ones. They have fresh orange juice and a range of coffees and italian sodas on menu. For something a bit more special, try the incarozza or their pancakes topped with fresh berries.

Special mention to the best sugar doughnuts in town - the zepole!

'Til the next post!
Sharlyn

Contact Information from Google Maps:Nano Ready 2 Go‎23 Ebenezer Pl, Adelaide SA 5000(08) 8227 0468‎

Hours:

Today

7:30am

–

4:30pm

The Oost Burger! The Belgian Beer Cafe Oostende

2010-05-23T21:31:00.000+09:30

Living in the east end of the city has great advantages. I have quite an extended kitchen, especially for when we have house guests. When my family arrived from Manila 2 weeks ago, one of our first stops was the Belgian Beer Cafe Oostende - Mart and I had to let them try the Oost Burger!

Burgers have so many variations, from fast food chains, to designer burgers, to exotic meats...etc. There are good ones and there are the downright disappointing - the Oost burger has to be one of our favourites and raises the bar for us. The burger is huge - served with chips, one serve is enough to feed two people, you can find this item in the bar menu. The beef is chargrilled and is kept juicy and pink. Served with bacon, rocket, cheese, tomato, beetroot relish,mayo sandwiched in turkish bread, it's all you really need. The bun and fillings are properly proportioned. My only complaint really is that we can't take the burgers home because the restaurant doesn't have the license for take away.

To wash down your burger the bar has an extensive drink menu which include belgian beers on tap. The bistro and bar menus have so much more offerings - to be honest, I haven't gotten passed the burger just yet but the moules (mussels) are next in my list!

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

Oost Burger

Contact information taken from

http://www.oostende.com.au

27-29 Ebenezer Place, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000

Phone 08 8359 3400

Sandra and chocolate fountains!

2010-05-22T18:27:00.002+09:30

As I searched the blogs and forums for Adelaide's best desserts I came across the best tip ever! PROVIDORE or stall S66 in Adelaide's Central Market have the best belgian chocolate dark and milk chocolate fountains in town. For as little as $5.00 (depending on your choice of dippers) you can get a cup of fresh strawberries or marshmallows or waffle covered with chocolate. Tell me that's not a great dessert!

My sister Sandra loves chocolate fountains and I knew I had to take my family over to try. So after a great bbq lunch in Chinatown we got ourselves a couple of tables in the market and feasted over cups of melted chocolate. Good stuff!

For those who would like to do this at home, PROVIDORE sells the bars of chocolate for you to melt at home. For those with diabetic relatives, they can join in the fun because there are chocolate bars with reduced sugar.

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

Contact information taken from Adelaide Central Market Website:

Providore (08 8231 5977)
Stall S66 Adealide Central Market
Gourmet specialties including Belgium chocolate, truffles, fresh gateaux, tortes, sponge cakes, pies, tarts, pastries, quiches, pates, pasta, confectionery and gourmet meats and smallgoods

Dad enjoying a sugar free muffin

Sandra with her first bite!

Waffle dipped in dark belgian chocolate

Cups of milk chocolate with marshmallows and strawberries

Family

2010-05-21T20:42:00.000+09:30

My family came over from Manila - the last 9 days with them have been fantastic! I'm glad we were able to show them around our new home here in Adelaide and the surrounding areas from the Barossa down to Victor Harbour.

Along the way, we shared our favourite places and discovered new restaurants. Soon as I organize the photos, I'll be posting their favourite meals and sharing with you our discoveries.

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

Mom, Dad, Michelle, Justin, Sandra with Mart & me

at Hahndorf Inn

Anzac Weekend, Amalfi Pizzeria Ristorante

2010-04-29T11:57:00.001+09:30

Holidays and long weekends usually keep Adelaide city pretty quiet. We took advantage of this and went in to try Amalfi Pizzeria Ristorante on Frome Street. Even if this restaurant is just a short walk from our apartment, it took us this long to try it because its always full when we do drop by.

I've read about Amalfi years back, and have always been curious to try their offerings. They have a menu of traditional favorites from pasta dishes, wood fire oven pizzas and mains varying from seafood to lamb. The interiors of the restaurant are kept simple, first things you will notice are the open kitchen and large chalkboards with the day's specials.

For our first visit, we started with garlic bread and an order of their black mussels cooked in a broth of stock, garlic and chili. This is a favorite of mine from the Philippines and was looking so happy to see it in their menu and was hoping it was close to the one we order in Boracay Island. It was, and according to Mart, may even be better! The broth is salty and tasty and great to soak the garlic bread in! The mussels are perfectly cooked, still tender and easy to eat.

We then moved on to our Cardinale pizza - toppings include prosciutto, bocconcini, basil and mushrooms. The crust was really good and tasty with the perfect thickness and crunch. The toppings did not overwhelm the pizza and the ingredients used were of very good quality.

For dessert, we had an order of their tiramisu. From our whole meal, this is the most forgettable part. We did not enjoy our dessert because it was a bit dry and I missed the creamy mascarpone cream you usually lick of your spoon when having tiramisu.

Sans dessert though, it was a great dining experience and we'll definitely be making ur way back and work our way through more items in the menu!

'Till the next post!

Sharlyn

Garlic Bread - $4.20

Cozze Aglio Olio - Black Mussels steamed with garlic olive oil, parsly, chili and fish broth, $15.40

Cardinale Pizza, $ 24 / 15.90

Tiramisu

AMALFI RISTORANTE PIZZERIA

est 1981

29 Frome Street City East End

www.amalfi.net.au

Lunch MON-FRI

Dinner MON-SAT

Growlers at the Torquey Esplanade

2010-04-22T09:53:00.002+09:30

Capping our great ocean road adventure, we looked for a nice place to have our last lunch in Torquey and chanced upon Growlers.

The restaurant had a nice al fresco area in the front yard of the building and has great views of the beach across the street. We were drawn in by a very full breakfast crowd and charming set up. Unfortunately, we were too late for the breakfast menu so we decided to just have some coffees and wait for the lunch service to begin.

Of course Mart had the wagyu rump steak, served with chips and side salad and I decided to keep it "light" with an order of their Ceasar's salad. Our food came and portions were generous. I enjoyed my Ceasar's salad, I like that I could taste the anchovies and loved the poached egg in the dish. I was very full with the portion that was served, and was happy that the salad was my main dish. Mart's rump steak was very tasty and tender (much better than the other steaks we've had in our Victoria trip). Other items to note in their menu are the coffin bay oysters, wagyu burger, seafood stew and portalington mussels.

Growler's is a very family friendly restaurant with a very wholesome menu we look for when we're on holiday. It was a great find and I'm glad we made the stop. Consider Torquey as your base for a Great Ocean Road adventure - there are quite a number of surprising finds in this town.

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

Wagyu Rump Steak, $22

Ceasar's Salad, $18

add Grilled Chicken, $26

Contact information taken from www.growlers.com.au:

23 The Esplanade
Torquay 3228 VIC

Open 7 days
for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Phone : 03 5264 8455
fax : 03 5264 8034
email : growlers4@bigpond.com.au

The Wineries of Yarra Valley Victoria

2010-04-20T11:29:00.000+09:30

While in Melbourne for a week long holiday, we decided to take a day trip to the Yarra Valley Wineries. After a scenic hour drive out of the CBD we had so many activity options in the area. We decided to plan our day visiting 3 vineyards - Fergusson Winery, De Bortoli Yarra Valley Estate and Domaine Chandon.

First stop for us was lunch at the Fergusson Winery's Restaurant. Their website enticed me with an offering of a provincial menu and I was expecting a menu of comfort food. We started with a calamari salad, this dish didn't look too impressive in appearance but was tasty. Mart per as his usual steak - they served their porterhouse with a cream muscat sauce with mash and greens. The meat could have been more tender for my taste, and the cream muscat sauce was not too much to my liking - but Mart didn't complain and ate it all up! For myself, I was very happy with my choice - I got my comfort provincial special with the Ned Kelly's famous chunky beef pie...yum! The meat was tender and so tasty - braised in their Ned's Cabernet Merlot and mixed in with an onion gravy, served with chips on the side.

Not too far away, was our next stop - De Bortoli. First impression of De Bortoli was excellent. They have such beautifully kept grounds which house their restaurant Locale, their cellar door and cheese shop. We were there for the cheese - so as to be able to try a bit of everything, we went with a tasting plate of 5 cheeses ranging from manchego, dolce gorgonzola to soft goat cheese. Armed with our tasting plate, we make our way to some tables in the picnic area over looking the vineyards. This makes for a great afternoon for families - of course the wine consumed in these areas must come from their cellar door.

We end our little road trip with some bubbly at Domaine Chandon. One of the more popular stops in the Yarra Valley, expect to be with some tour groups when you visit. But the facility has quite a bit of space stretching over the patio, the Green Point brasserie and tasting room. Given a chance to come back, I would like to try their menu, the restaurant looked very impressive and the dishes coming out of the kitchen looked very good. Unfortunately, by this point, we were so full and only wanted to have a coffee before the drive back.

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

Fergusson Winery

De Bortoli

Domaine Chandon

Breakfast! The Pancake Parlour

2010-04-15T09:58:00.000+09:30

When in Melbourne, you will not miss an ad or two for this institution - The Pancake Parlour. The branch we visited is located along busy Bourke Street and is opened earlier than the surrounding shops and department stores. A good start to a busy day of shopping!

Their menu is typical of most pancake/breakfast places offering pancakes with all the possible sides, coffees, and every other comfort dish you can think off. We decided to get a short stack of pancakes with eggs and cheese kranskys. For my short stack, I decided to try their buckwheat option and Mart went with the traditional buttermilk pancakes. I have been looking forward to finding buckwheat pancakes as these were my favourite back in Manila. Pancakes have the option to be served with your choice between butter, cream or ice cream. They also have pure maple syrup for an additional charge.

Our orders came and the portion sizes did not disappoint. The buttermilk pancakes were light and savoury. I was pretty happy with my buckwheat stack, not as good as Bizu's in Manila, but a good option to have. The surprise stand out in our meal were the cheese kranskys - it was very tasty and cooked very well.

If you find yourself in Melbourne and want to your day with a good breakfast, I would definitely recommend a visit to The Pancake Parlour. It is also a good place to take the kids - check out the giant chess set and magic mirrors! For free stacks - check out coupons in Melbourne tourist brochures.

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

Contact information taken from: http://www.pancakeparlour.com

The Pancake Parlour Restaurant
Centrepoint Arcade,
Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne.
(Down the escalators, between
Sportsgirl & Jetty Surf)
Phone: 9654 1893

OPEN 7AM EVERY DAY
SUNDAY - THURSDAY TIL 10PM
FRIDAY & SATURDAY 'TIL MIDNIGHT

Lygon Street Melbourne, La Spaghettata

2010-04-14T10:35:00.000+09:30

You cannot visit Melbourne and not hear about Lygon Street. Located in the Carlton area, Lygon Street presents itself as Melbourne's Italian District. Chic boutiques, delicatessens, and designer shops dot this street in between the numerous pizzerias, bakeries and restaurants. It's impossible to take it all in with just one visit, the options are just endless!

I really wanted to try the pizzerias - Tiamo and Papa Gino's seem to be the most popular. Unfortunately, there were just too many people that night. The volume of patrons outside these two places have really gotten me curious. It was such a busy night, so we made our way further down the street and consulted the iphone app - Uraban Spoon which led us to a little place called La Spaghettata. As we made our way, we passed numerous people trying to reel us into their own restaurants - that gets a little too in your face at times but it gives this street its character, I suppose.

Upon arriving to the restaurant, you find a generous al fresco area leading up to the street front.
The clientelle were mostly couples and families having a nice dinner together. The way they decorated the place is quite rustic, and felt like stepping into someone's home. We decided to go for pasta that night - Mart with his usual spaghetti with meatballs and me with my Tortellini with cream sauce. I usually order the stuffed fresh pastas, since I would probably never make these at home.

As we waited for our dishes we entertain ourselves by checking out the many plates hanging on the wall. Each plate has recipes of the pasta dishes they serve in the menu. We started off our dinner with bruschetta with prociutto and boconccini. The dish was pleasant, using fresh and well dressed ingredients. We were hoping for homemade bread though (we're getting spoiled!). The pasta dishes came soon after, and are quite generous in portion size. Mart's dish had lots of meatballs and that certainly made him happy with his choice. My tortellini was good, cooked well but I was expecting a bit more with the cream sauce.

La Spaghettata is a good place for a quiet dinner, but it did not really wow me over. I suppose the hype about Lygon street did not help this cause because I had terribly high expectations. But I'm all for second chances and look forward to coming back and exploring more of what they have to offer!

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

La Spaghettata Restaurant

238 Lygon St
Carlton 3053 VIC
Phone: (03) 9663 6102

Doing the touristy thing and fast food! Think Asia

2010-04-13T08:09:00.001+09:30

When you're on holiday, you're bound to do the touristy things, especially if you're new to a town or city. And for one reason or another - you will find yourselves needing a quick meal because of your hurried agenda or dwindling budget. And the solutions are usually going to the ever reliables - Hungry Jacks, Mc Donalds, Subway or KFC. This is how we found ourselves when we were touring Melbourne over the Easter break.

At a certain point though, you just want a break from the junk food and crave for a home cooked style hot meal. Enter - Melbourne's amazing new food courts. May it be in the Southgate River Side Food Court, QV Mall's Urban market or Crown Casino's Entertainement Plaza - you will find a huge selection of international food kiosks serving up hot meals ranging from the day's roasts, to wraps, to pizzas, to rice meals, coffees and desserts.

An instant favourite of ours was Think Asia! It was a rainy night in Melbourne and after a day of sight seeing and lots and lots of walking we find ourselves in the Southgate. I'm immediately drawn to Think Asia's cook to order menu. Items we tried are the Char Kwey Teow (noodle dish) and the Hainanese Chicken Rice (reminiscent of our time in the street kiosks in Singapore) and we weren't disappointed. In fact, the chicken rice was quite yummy - that we had it for a second time over at Crown's Entertainment Complex a few days after. With an average price of $10-12 per order, the quality of food and value for money can't be beat!

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

Food kiosk at Southgate

Char Kwey Teow & Hainanese Chicken Rice

Location information from website:

http://www.thinkasia.com.au

Crown Casino
Shop 37 Crown Entertainment Complex
Phone 9686 1766

Collins Place
Shop 52 Collins Place
Phone 9663 3238

Southgate
Shop G26 Southgate Riverside Food Court
Phone 9696 3398

Easter break in Melbourne, The Butcher's Grill

2010-04-09T10:50:00.002+09:30

Melbourne is known for celebrity chefs and fine dining restaurants - but the options can be quite overwhelming for guests to the city. There are streets and streets of cafes, bistros, pubs and food courts to explore. For this pick - I used the good old fashioned city brochures!

The Butcher's Grill has 2 city locations, one on the very busy Bourke Street and one by the Docklands. Since our hotel was a stones throw away, we decided to visit the Bourke Street location. We got there a tad shy of 12 noon and found the menu by the door. They had a promotion for tuesdays, where they slash your bill by 50% on certain selections from their menu. I must admit - that was the draw for me, and the promise of a steak lunch for Mart. The restaurant features Australian meat and a Mediterranean style of cooking.

The interiors of the restaurant was quite elaborate with chandeliers and ornate wall decorations. It projected an old world charm, quite a contrast to the stark interiors of most new restaurants we find these days. Since we were early, we were able to be seated by the window with the view of the trams going by. We noticed though, after a bit of time in the restaurant, that there seemed to be no one else but us making us guess that this place was more for the evening crowd.

After a quick browse of the menu, we decided to go for the rump steaks (there are limited steak cuts included in the tuesday 50% off promo and I couldn't pass up the offer). We were offered some bread at the table and after a few moments we got our steaks, medium rare over some mashed potatoes and a mushroom sauce on the side. The meat was tender but I was expecting more flavour full meat, I guess I set the bar high for a Melbourne restaurant. I suppose the choice of cut also made the difference, perhaps the wagyu or other more prime offerings would have been able to deliver that. Serving sizes were pretty substantial, enough to fuel our day of exploring around the city.

To be quite honest, more than my steak, I thoroughly enjoyed the desserts more! We decided on the mango jelly panna cotta served with grapes and almond tuille and the rich chocolate ganache served with chocolate ice cream. The panna cotta was creamy and fresh, while the ganache was rich with a surprise crunch through its layers. Both desserts were a perfect finish to a pleasant lunch. Through our meal, service by the staff was quite good, I guess it helped that there were only 2 couples dining that day. Don't get me wrong though, I gathered that the Butcher's Grill was a popular restaurant as there were streams of inquires for group reservations and functions ranging from corporate meetings, special birthday celebrations or the after office crowd looking for a hearty meal.

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

Signage on Bourke Street

Restaurant Interiors

Menu Cover

350g Angus Rump Steak with Mashed Potato

$36.00

* Mushroom sauce - $5.00

Chocolate Ganache with Chocolate Ice Cream

$15.00

Mango jelly Panna Cotta

$13.00

Contact information and pricing taken from :

http://www.butchersgrill.com.au/

Butchers Grill, Meat & Wine Cellar

Phone:	03 9639 1222
Address:	141 Bourke Street, Melbourne Vic 3000
Hours:	Lunch: Monday - Friday, Dinner: Monday - Saturday
License:	Fully licensed and BYO* BYO available to bookings of up to 6 people. Wine & champagne only. Corkage of $10 per bottle applies. Not available on special event days.
Cuisine:	Mediterranean
Features:	Private Dining Room - "Alexander" Mediterranean style open grill, wall of boutique wines
Functions:	Available for group bookings, private functions & events
Chef:	Jay Soon

Mart's Birthday Cake - Cocolat's Caramel Craze!

2010-04-08T08:53:00.001+09:30

It's my husband's birthday and I wanted to have a special entry for his favorite cake - birthday or not!
My husband has a major sweet tooth - and his latest favorite from the Cocolat line up of fab mud cakes is the Caramel Craze!

The description from their website: "A mouth watering, rich, moist, dense caramel fudge cake smothered in chocolate ganache". Bliss!

Happy happy birthday to you honey! ;-p Thank you for all our food adventures!

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

Caramel Craze by Cocolat

Dessert Cafes

283 Rundle Street
Adelaide 5000
(08) 8232 6133

Level 2
Adelaide Airport 5950
(08) 8234 3661

Outlet shopping and Burger Monster

2010-04-06T22:20:00.001+09:30

The best burger in world history. That's the claim BURGER MONSTER made - and it was enough for us to give it a try. Located in Harbour Town in the Docklands of Melbourne, Burger Monster is found among a row of restaurants facing the Southern Star Observation Wheel (currently closed).

You can build pretty much any kind of burger with the menu staples and extras from their menu board. There is a beef and chicken option for the patty and toppings range from cheese, avocado, pineapple, beetroot...etc.

Unfortunately the claim was too good to be true. My cheeseburger got to me a touch too cool for my liking (as I do like my food piping hot-especially when it's supposedly made fresh) and I found that the bun was just too big for my burger patty. I suppose the big bun is ideal for those who pile on the toppings - but for my cheeseburger it was just too much. The taste of the burger was pretty average - to be honest I cannot remember anything special about it apart from the size. Surprisingly the one that saved our meal was the chips!

"Til the next post!

Sharlyn

Visitors' Favourite - Cocolat!

2010-03-26T17:19:00.001+10:30

Whenever we have guests from inter-state or from other countries, we like taking them to places that are unique to Adelaide. The hands down favourite is Cocolat! Adelaide's sweet spot.

Cocolat's range of chocolate concoctions range from truffles to hot and cold drinks to gelati and to jams and cakes!
We usually present first timers with the signature mud cakes - the Cocolat and Caramel Craze. These cakes are simply habit forming - a craving waiting to happen.

The cafe is located on East Terrace in the city, with branches in the hills and Adelaide airport. The interiors are very contemporary and offer patrons a variety of seating configurations to cater from parties of 2 to larger groups. An al fresco area is available fronting the cafe and on busy nights more seats can be found in the alley in between Cocolat and the East End Cellar.

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

with Janice and Audrey

Mart & Wilbert (Wilbert is a Cocolat fan!)

Clarisse and her empty plates!

Contact information from website: http://www.cocolat.com.au

283 Rundle Street
Adelaide 5000
(08) 8232 6133

Opening Hours
Monday    10.00am - late

Tuesday    10.00am - late

Wednesday    10.00am - late

Thursday       10.00am - late

Friday    10.00am - late

Saturday    10.00am - late

Sunday 10.00am - late

Clarisse is in town! New find in an old favourite - Zucca!

2010-03-25T13:23:00.002+10:30

Clarisse, my sister in law, was in town for a few days! We were a not so convenient stop during her week long holiday in Australia and it was great to have family over even for a short visit.

She was quite tired from the first leg of her trip, she came over with barely any sleep because of a wedding she attended the night before so we tried not to bog her down even further with too much activity on her first day. We settled with a sleep in until we had to go to mass at 6pm at the Adelaide Cathedral, then dinner at our favourite greek restaurant, Zucca!

I know I already have an entry for this restaurant, but we tried a new dish - and i feel it's worth a quick mention. For this visit to Zucca, instead of going with our usual table inside the restaurant over looking the bay - we went for a table at the al fresco area fronting the Marina Pier. We then decided to go with our favourite mezze dishes like the spiced sausage with haloumi and lentils, grilled octopus with beetroot and picked out a new one to try - the steamed mussels in tomato, feta, olives with risoni. The fresh mussels with the slightly spicy tomato sauce were a perfect combination, the spices were balanced well with the cool fetta and kalamata olives in the dish .The server suggested an order of turkish bread to mop up the sauce with - and I'm glad she did!

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

Mart with his sister Clarisse visiting from Dubai!

Zucca's al fresco area

Marin Pier, Holdfast Shores at night

Mussels steamed in tomato, olives, fetta with risoni

Contact information taken from : http://www.zucca.com.au

Shop 5 Marina Pier Holdfast Shores SA 5045

Telephone: 83768222
Fax: 83768233

Open 7 Days
12pm – 3pm + 6pm – late

Hen's Night! The Maid

2010-03-16T09:15:00.001+10:30

Not one bride but two! Our dear friends Ayette and Jiji are tying the knot in the next couple of months with their respective partners RG and Dan. Wedding number one (Ayette & RG) will be in Manila in a few weeks so the girls and I planned a girl's night at The Maid Hotel on Magill Road, Stepney.

I'm no stranger to The Maid as they are the gracious hosts to the Make A Wish Foundation and has become the Adelaide branch's unofficial headquarters. The group holds their monthly meetings at the function room, The Barn found behind the main building. Since I had a group of twenty girls, that venue was a bit too big so with the help of Claire Sampson (functions manager), we moved our party to the courtyard area. The Maid has been divided into a few spaces to suit the dining experience you're after. For casual dining or if you're just in there for a coffee, there's the bistro area. For drinks, there's the front bar or the beer garden available. For a more stylish and intimate dining experience, they have Signatures. This dining area features a seasonal menu of modern australian dishes with a french influence. They have an extensive wine selection geared for proper pairing with their dishes.

For our purpose Claire suggested that we look into their cold and hot platter dishes and made arrangements that drinks be purchased at the bar on the day. Platters range in price from $40-65 dollars and serves 20-30 people depending on your choice of dish. 3 course set menus are also available for parties of 30pax+

We decided to go with a selection of 3 dips with pita, bloody mary oyster shots, peppered squid, skinned chicken strips, mini burgers, mushroom aroncini balls and fresh fruits. It was quite a busy evening for me - because I was all over the place with activities and decorations so I wasn't able to try all the dishes, but i got great feedback with the taste and quality of the food that was served. But from those I've tried, particularly liked the bacon dip with pita, the mushroom aroncini balls and the mini burgers. Drinks were not a problem as the fully stocked bistro bar was a few steps away.

I was pretty happy with the service that I got from the staff of The Maid. I have to admit, this is my first time to organize a party outside my home here in Adelaide, but even with no point of comparison I have planned enough events back home to know that it this was pretty good. It was very easy to communicate with the function staff via email and on the day we had a server assigned to the group. When I arrived to decorate the area, they already had our long table set up and came in with extra tea lights to add to the ambiance. The Maid's interiors are very well designed and has a cozy and festive feel. They had music playing throughout the space and as the night progressed they used more upbeat songs to add to the merry making.

We had a fun night of laughs, games and a ton of gifts. The two brides had a blast - so with that I can say - mission accomplished!

I was so busy that evening so I don't have pictures just yet - I will make sure to grab a few from the girls and update this entry soon.

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

Information from the website: http://www.themaid.com.au

Opening Times 9am - 3am Monday to Saturday & 9am - 12am Sunday
Bistro Open 12-3:30pm - 5:30-9:30pm Daily with all day dining Friday through to Sunday

Signatures Restaurant Open 12pm - 2:30pm & 6pm - 9:30pm Monday to Saturday

1 Magill Road. Stepney SA 5069
Telephone 08 8362 6053 Facsimile 08 8159 0440 Email admin@themaid.com.au

10 year College Reunions! Stock Market, Bonifacio High Street

2010-03-11T21:34:00.000+10:30

My really good friend Pat announced over facebook that it was Assumption College Class 2000's 10th year reunion and that there was a get together at school to celebrate! 10 years...it couldn't have been that long since college. There are days when I feel like I've just stepped out of my school's campus and into the "real" world.

My best memories of my 4 years in college include exhibits, all nighters, clubs, free cuts, thesis and graduation. I was lucky to have kept strong friendships with a small group of friends that have stuck with me through life's ups and downs.

The last time I was with the group was my last trip to Manila last November. It was a friday night and after hours of traffic we met up at one of the many malls in Manila, the Bonifacio High Street. Dinner was in one of the new favorites in town, Stock Market. No, it has nothing to do with stocks and bonds but more about stock produce. The restaurant is owned by the Del Monte brand which enjoys market share of their pineapple products. Fresh produce and deli items are also available in the restaurant as well as pastries and cooking gadgets.

The interiors reflect a tropical plantation home. The space enjoys a very high ceiling and is very light and casual in ambiance. That night, there was an after office crowd but there were also a good number of couples and families dining.

The cuisine is mostly upscale comfort food. Ranging from fresh salads, soups and a selection of mains. Items to note are those using pineapple as a main ingredient - especially the burger! Their pizzas are also great starters for groups, they have a very thin crust that's quite unique. As for me, I really enjoy the roasted chicken especially because of the stuffing. And for dessert, my friend Tanya will recommend the baked alaska without batting an eyelash!

Another note worthy item in the menu is their beers that have been chilled to a temperature of between -2 to -6 c! The sub zero temperatures give you a unique drinking experience. There are a number of these freezers between the restaurants and bars in Manila and other provinces, and is one draw of Stock Market. Despite the extreme temperature of the chillers - the beers are very cold but not frozen when it is served to you. Ice crystals form only when the bottle is tapped!

Manila is such a foodie place and the unique offerings of places like Stock Market make you want to explore even more.

'Till the next post!

Sharlyn

Contact Information taken from : http://www.ourawesomeplanet.com

The Stock Market
Beside Fridays in Bonifacio HighStreet
Telephone: +632 8566300, 8566301

Itineraries & House Guests, Jacob's Creek Visitor's Center

2010-03-09T16:43:00.001+10:30

We're expecting a number of guests in the coming months, so I've been looking back to all the places we've visited this last year and picking out the places I'd like to re-visit with our guests. One of my picks is the Jacob's Creek Visitor's Center in the Barossa.

Our first time to visit this award winning cellar door was in August last year when my best friend Tanya was in town for a visit. It was a surprise to see the very modern building in the famed Jacob's Creek Vineyard. Although all the vines were bare, the views were still beautiful and is a must see for any tourist going around the area. We decided to stay for lunch and I must say, we had a very good meal after the drive into town.

Jacob's restaurant is located inside the Visitor's Center. It was awarded in 2008 & 2007 the South Australian Tourism Award for Tourism Restaurant & Catering Services and for Best Tourism Winery according to www.barossa.com website. They are open 7 days for lunch, and the menu comprises of contemporary Australian cuisine with wine pairing suggestions to help you along.

We started of with a trio of scallops - roast potato with saffron vinaigrette, almond and sesame crust with white bean puree, and our favourite - pea puree with garlic butter and pancetta. Tanya had chicken for her main, Mart went with his usual beef fillet but the dish for me that stood out was my duck salad. The flavours were great, the meat was tender and it went perfectly with my glass of Pinot Noir.

If you have limited time in the area, the Jacob's Creek Visitor's Center gives a very complete Barossa experience in one place.

'Til the next post!

Sharlyn

Website: http://jacobscreek.com

Barossa Valley Way, Rowland Flat, South Australia

Contact Number: +61885213000

Email: jcvc@orlandowines.com